Civil Engineers
Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.
At a Glance
Civil Engineers earns a median of $99,590/yr with +5.0% projected growth. Typical entry: Bachelor's degree. Top skills: Dependability, Design, Engineering and Technology.
$99,590/yr
+5.0%
24
Bachelor's degree
Skills & Requirements
Skills (14)
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Knowledge (8)
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Abilities (20)
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Technology (24)
Category: Project management software | Hot Technology
Category: Enterprise application integration software | Hot Technology
Work Activities (27)
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Work Styles (3)
A tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.
Careers with Overlapping Skills
These occupations share the most skills. A career transition between them means many of your skills transfer directly.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Management · 220 shared skills
Mechanical Engineers
Architecture and Engineering · 217 shared skills
Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
Computer and Mathematical · 217 shared skills
Computer Systems Engineers/Architects
Computer and Mathematical · 216 shared skills
Computer User Support Specialists
Computer and Mathematical · 214 shared skills
Computer Systems Analysts
Computer and Mathematical · 212 shared skills
Information Technology Project Managers
Computer and Mathematical · 212 shared skills
Computer Network Architects
Computer and Mathematical · 210 shared skills
Explore Key Skills
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to build these skills?
Sign up to find courses that teach these skills, track your progress, and build a skills passport aligned to Civil Engineers.
Get Started Free